Policy

Analysis: Trump's flurry of orders undermine global health efforts

Fri, 2025-01-31 17:01 — mike kraft

Trump's orders sow chaos in global public health

A recent flurry of executive orders and surprise actions by the Trump administration have roiled the international public health community, leaving healthcare workers scrambling and aid programs in peril.

On January 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order pausing U.S. foreign development assistance for 90 days to assess “programmatic efficiencies and consistency.” The ripple effects spread immediately. On January 24, the State Department put out a stop-work order halting foreign aid work. And on January 27, the Trump administration placed dozens of officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development on leave.

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Trump EPA Dismisses the Agency's Outside Science Advisers

Thu, 2025-01-30 11:43 — mike kraft

All members of the Environmental Protection Agency’s boards of outside advisers on science and clean air were dismissed in a letter emailed late Tuesday, an unusual step the Trump administration said was aimed at depoliticizing the panels.

Panel members expressed disappointment and confusion at the assertion in the letter signed by James Payne, a career EPA attorney Trump installed as acting administrator. Critics charged the Trump administration with politicizing the process by eliminating the current independent advisers and clearing the way for them to be replaced with hand-picked appointees.

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Wide-Ranging Measures Proposed to Control Bigger Storms Coming With Climate Change --study

Thu, 2025-01-30 11:23 — mike kraft

Storms Are Getting Bigger With Climate Change. A New Flood Study Offers One Region Ideas to Prepare In southeastern Pennsylvania, Hurricane Ida in 2021 was a preview of a flood-prone future. A report recommends construction projects and other fixes to save lives and property. Derek Harrison Inside Climate News

The outlook for more climate-related flooding in a southeastern Pennsylvania watershed has prompted a new call for measures to contain heavy rains, allow raging waters to pass downstream and help the public anticipate bigger and more frequent storms.

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Analysis: How the Secretary of Health and Human Services influences America's health efforts.

Thu, 2025-01-30 11:13 — mike kraft

Viewpoint: How the Health and Human Services secretary influences every aspect of America's health The secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, plays a significant role in every American's access to health care and in the nation's overall well-being. Angela Mattie Medical Xpress

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Charting how COVID contributed to a crisis of trust in America

Thu, 2025-01-30 10:57 — mike kraft

How covid contributed to a crisis of trust in America Eight charts show how people’s confidence in the government and science has changed The Economist The Economist

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Trump White House rescinds order freezing federal grants after widespread confusion

Wed, 2025-01-29 13:44 — mike kraft

White House rescinds federal aid freeze | CNN Politics The White House Office of Management and Budget has rescinded the federal aid freeze, according to a memo obtained by CNN from a Trump administration official. Kaitlan Collins, Alayna Treene, Samantha Waldenberg CNN

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White House blames "outage" for locking out Medicaid, Head Start, health centers from funding site

Wed, 2025-01-29 09:52 — mike kraft

White House blames "outage" for locking out Medicaid, Head Start, health centers from funding site The online system for federal health funding warned of delays due to executive orders after the Trump administration announced a freeze. CBS News

Multiple state Medicaid programs reported late Tuesday they have been able to resume accessing their payment systems after the nationwide lockout.

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Overview of the issues affected by the Trump Administration's pausing of federal grants and loans

Wed, 2025-01-29 09:31 — mike kraft

A freeze on federal grants and loans has been paused. But many facets of American life are left mired in uncertainty | CNN As a federal judge temporarily blocks part of the Trump administration’s pausing of federal grants and loans Tuesday, a slew of advocacy groups, charities, foreign aid and public health programs are decrying a potential upending of American lives on an unprecedented scale. Karina Tsui CNN

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Critical NIH research allowed to continue after"confusion" over original directives

Wed, 2025-01-29 08:26 — mike kraft

Despite concerns about the future of research at the National Institutes of Health, current clinical trials can continue as scheduled, the agency’s acting director told staff scientists in an email Monday.

The clarification followed what staffers called “chaos” Wednesday when the Trump administration “paused” all communications from federal health agencies and suspended all government travel. The directive left NIH staff members with unanswered questions about their work and even whether they’d be able to continue caring for their patients.

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State Department Modifies the Original Near-Full Stop of Foreign Aid

Wed, 2025-01-29 08:19 — mike kraft

State Department Reverses Near-Full Stop of Foreign Aid Marco Rubio’s memo now exempts ‘core life saving programs’ but withholds assistance for diversity and abortions. Michael R. Gordon and Alexander Ward WSJ

The Trump administration pulled back from its order to pause nearly all foreign aid, and will now exempt “core life saving programs” that involve medicine, medical services, food and shelter, according to a Tuesday memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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